Question about salvation
Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:08 pm
As someone who studied these religions and was brought to God in a sense through them (As a teen I rejected the boring "fairy tales" of Christianity for the mystic nature of these religions, but realized they talked about many of the same things Christianity did. This allowed my heart to be open to Christianity) I have always been troubled by the fact orthodoxy believes a Buddhist monk will go to hell because he does not know Christ. I realize God does not operate under my whims and understanding, but what does everyone think about the possibility of their salvation at the Great White Throne Judgment? Paul, in Acts, talks about the inscriptions on Greek statues "TO AN UNKNOWN GOD". He then says "Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you." Is Paul saying ignorance is secondary to humility and the desire to know God or the truth? If a Buddhist who has never heard the gospel gets to heaven and says I have been searching for you, but did not know you in my lifetime, and then accepts Christ, will Christ reject him?
Is this what Jesus was talking about in the parable of the Vineyards?
Mathew 20:13"But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'
16"So the last will be first, and the first will be last."
Is this what Jesus was talking about in the parable of the Vineyards?
Mathew 20:13"But he answered one of them, 'Friend, I am not being unfair to you. Didn't you agree to work for a denarius? 14Take your pay and go. I want to give the man who was hired last the same as I gave you. 15Don't I have the right to do what I want with my own money? Or are you envious because I am generous?'
16"So the last will be first, and the first will be last."